Chapter 15 - The Canvas, I Am

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by dancemoms-

by dancemoms-

Chapter 15

Maddie's POV

"And next up folks, we've brought in MackZ's older sister Maddie Ziegler here to shed some light on today's story. Come on out Maddie!" Cici Hartfield called me out as I smoothed out my short tutu dress one last time. I sauntered onto the stage with a pageant winning smile, milking every minute in the limelight.

"Hello Cici!" I smiled politely as the coach backstage had instructed me to do, just hours before.

"Hello Ms.Maddie! Thanks for coming." Cici grinned as she straightened out her pile of index cards.

"Thank you for having me!" I beamed as I realized my hands had been tinkering with the dress. I set them by my sides as Cici began firing her questions.

"Is this your first talk show?"

"No, actually I was on Ellen a few months back." I was subtly hoping the conversation would finally steer towards Kenzie, but luck didn't seem to be on my side.

"Oh yes! You were the little one who fainted!" She tossed her head back laughing as a huge blush turned my cheeks red.

"Yeah, I hadn't seen my sister in 8 years, so it was a bit of a shock when she was apart of the segment after me.." I trailed off, unsure of how to defend myself.

"That must've been surprising! Did that have anything to do with today's events?"

"Uh sort of. You see, when Kenzie was like 3 we were playing a game outside." I began, trying to tell the story without crying.

"We had invented it and called it Rippy Skippy." I found myself smiling happily.

"Well, Kenzie wanted to play dolls, but my friends and I wanted to keep playing. You had to hop across the street with your eyes closed and repeat this chant. Kenzie started doing it, when I heard a horn and began screaming. I remember yelling 'Stop! Stop Kenzie! Get over here!' over and over again, but Baby Kenzie was determined." Tears were collecting in my eyes as I breathed a deep sigh.

"Then I stepped into the street, but a truck was already crushing Kenzie. She was brought to the hospital and we were all devastated. There ended up being a-" My voice broke as tears began to roll down my cheeks as I had to continue looking back on this horrible time.

"There was a- a- mess up, a mess up in the systems and Kenzie was announced dead, when she was barely alive." I wiped away a tear as Cici smiled sympathetically and patted my knee.

"She was scared and confused, so she ran away when she was only like 4, she- she ran away-y and somehow was brought to an orphanage. Meanwhile back at home, my parents had a falling out and my dad left us." I now had my mascara dripping down my cheeks as I searched for words.

"He- he- he left my mom and m-me. Then my mom met my step dad in a bar and they married a month later."

"Oh! Gosh! That's dangerous!" Cici's eyes grew wide.

"Yeah, you're telling me!" I laughed, wiping away another tear. "That marriage led to my abuse."

"Because my dad seemed to disappear off the face of the earth, and my mother's name had been changed during her marriage, Kenzie's record showed no sign of who she could be returned to. So she was given away to a lovely family, who coudn't hurt a fly. I've met them and they're the most giving people in the world." I smiled, knowing Kenzie's family would appreciate that compliment in this devastating time for them.

"I lived with my boyfriend's family for a little while, before I was sent to an orphanage. Kenzie's career was rising and her life just couldn't be better. Then my dad showed up and took custody of me. I guess somehow he mentioned Kenzie to the orphanage and then this whole fiasco happened, because Kenzie's adoption was technically illegal- I'm sorry can I have a tissue?" I laughed at myself for crying so hard as Cici smiled and handed me a tissue.

"Do you think Kenzie is better off with your father or her adoptive parents?"

"My father is a stranger to Kenzie. He deserves no piece of her, or me for that matter." I huffed angrily.

"Why is that?" Cici leaned in as my eyes flickered to the 60 pairs of eyes staring back at me as an audience.

"He left my family. He gave up, and when you give up, you give up. You can't try to start all over." I frowned as Cici turned to her last index card, the final question.

"So Maddie, sweetie, where do you feel you fit into all of this madness?"

"Me?" I sighed, thinking back on everything I've shared this year.

I closed my eyes as my mind went elsewhere, "I'm just another canvas the artists love to mess with until they're satisfied."

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